Commerce City Council <BR> discusses utilities

The Commerce City Council decided to wait another two weeks before pulling the trigger on accepting $2,000,000 of interest free loan money from the state to overhaul the city's wastewater treatment plant and a number of city sewer lines. The delay gives city staff time to decide if they agree with numbers submitted just before the regular meeting by an outside financial advisor who says the city can borrow the money without raising residential sewer rates by up to $2.50 a month.

Natural gas rates will remain the same in Commerce. The City Council voted unaminously to refuse a rate increase sought by Atmos Energy. No one from Atmos spoke. Council members were told by their consultant the rate increase would unfairly hit lower income customers more and there was no incentive to be energy efficient.